Unity
by inspiredCritic
Summary: Kids play a session of Sburb! Lots of fun, lots of not-fun! Read on as these idiots try not get themselves killed!
1. Chapter 1

Unity: Start.

A young girl sits in her room.

After all, why would she just be standing there?

Author: Provide a brief description of the girl, as there is not a visual aid.

The girl is sitting on a beanbag chair, messing around with a tablet, it seems.

Her hair is short, barely falling past her chin in a fluffy bob, and it is a color that is left to the reader's imagination.

Her eyes are similarly left unclear, and she has a dusting of freckles across her cheeks.

Her clothes are simple, a grey T-shirt with a pair of purple diamonds under a dark green plaid button-up, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, and a pair of jean shorts that go down to her mid-thigh.

Reader: Enter Name.

Before you can enter a derogatory nickname (Buttface McGee? Susie-Lou Twinkletits?), a helpful box pops up and reveals the girl's name is Anna LaChance.

Damn those useful tweaks to the interface. Not allowing you to enter stupid and slightly hurtful monikers to get your rocks off….

Anna: Introduce yourself!

Oh, yeah!

Your name is Anna LaChance.

You like to think of yourself as an average girl, and as such, you've got several average interests.

You like teen romance books, chick flicks, and if you were to describe yourself, you'd have to say 'average'.

Average average average.

Wow, this is boring.

You know!

Sorry!

Anna: Do something.

You do so, and open up Pesterchum on your tablet.

-.-.-

Ahhh, Pesterchum.

Seems like everyone and their mother uses it.

But, at the same time, no, it doesn't?

Anna: Check messages.

Way ahead of you.

No one seems to have messaged you yet, that's lame.

-.-.-

You decide to pull up your Chumroll and take a look at your available chums.

-.-.-

There's princessMajo, who asked you to call her 'Miko', she's a good friend, even if she's a bit… excitable; crashistheHero, he's a bit… much, but he's alright; and finally, overUnder, who's a perfectly nice dude.

Unfortunately, OU's not on, so you have to choose between Miko and Crash.

Anna: Message princessMajo.

Yeah, there's not much of a contest there.

Miko is one of your best friends and knows your closest secrets, and Crash is… Well, Crash can get a little tiring to talk to.

-.-.-

- annaBobanna [AB] began pestering princessMajo [PM] at 15:48 -

AB: Hi! What're you up to?

PM: OMG! ! ! (O_O)

PM: ANNA-CHAAAN!

PM: Where you been gurl? ? ?

PM: ＼(^o^)／＼(^o^)／

AB: Ha, sorry, school, ya know?

PM: (*｀へ´*) No excuses! ! ! Take responsibility! ! !

AB: Okay, okay!

AB: Were you not at school?

PM: Oh no I was!

PM: But its so L-A-M-E! ! !

PM: I just whip out my phone and get on that! ! ! ψ(｀∇´)ψ

PM: wwwwwwww! ! !

AB: I've gotten my phone taken away too many times to wanna deal with that again.

AB: My mom says that if it happens again, I'll get it taken away. :(

PM: oh NOOO! ! !

PM: (u_u) Well then Little Miss Anna-chan.

PM: You better keep better keep your phone in your bag at all times.

PM: Turned off of course.

PM: …Or be really SNEAKY! ! ! (｀∇´)9

PM: WWWWW! ! !

AB: Ha, yeah!

AB: Um, so, I got that game in today!

PM: A geemu? (°_°) ? Nani sore? ? ?

AB: Uh.

AB: The Sburb beta, remember?

PM: AHHH! ! !

PM: YEAH! ! !

PM: Im so excited! ! !

-.-.-

Good ol' Miko.

You can't understand a great deal of the shit she says, she's a good friend.

She was the one who bought all of you this game, this 'beta'?

-.-.-

Admittedly, you weren't too into gaming yourself (besides a few apps, and the occasional games you played with your father on his consoles).

In fact, no one in your small group of online friends really played games much at all.

Miko just picked it up on a whim, apparently having heard snatches about it on some forums she perused.

-.-.-

She did that, sometimes, trying to force her interests on others.

You usually didn't mind it much, you were fine with Miko sending you links to read Japanese manga that she was obsessed with, but you couldn't help but feel a bit irked about Miko spending so much money on this new craze.

Anna: Explain.

You mean, you were grateful, really, you were!

You appreciated the present, but if it turned out to be a flop, you'd feel guilty about Miko spending all this money, even if it wasn't your fault, and it was all a messy internal dilemma.

Anna: Get back to your friend, shithead.

Yeah, yeah.

-.-.-

PM: Im so excited! ! !

PM: Its gonna be great! ! !

PM: …eh whats it about again? ? ?

AB: You said it was kind of like Sims?

AB: But more… virtual reality based?

-.-.-

Yeah, you still aren't too sure what this game is about.

Even though you have both sets of disks in front of you, they don't help, as the folders they're in are blank except for the Sburb logo.

Lame.

Anna: Remember when you first heard about Sburb.

It wasn't too long ago, just at the end of last month.

You and your online friends were shooting the usual shit, when Miko suddenly started gushing about this 'super kakkoi(?) new game' she found…

-.-.-

CH: all im sayin is that its BULLSHIT! ! !

OU: They have a point.

OU: You can't just call something a classifier it's not.

CH: pluto is a planet FUCK YOU! ! !

AB: Ha, let's just calm down!

AB: Let's not argue! Okay? :)

PM: GUYS! ! !

CH: w/ever!

CH: huh? sup?

PM: Okay so I found out about this super kakkoi new game! ! !

OU: A 'super' 'kakkoi' new game huh.

PM: QUIET YOU!

PM: It sounds a-w-e-s-o-m-e! ! !

AB: What's it about?

AB: I've never really played any of your JRPGs(?), so I don't really know what go expect?

CH: yeah sounds like shit to me

PM: OMG Anna its not a JRPG! ! !

PM: Crash-kun you hush! ! !

PM: Its made by a company called 'SkaiaNet' and well I guess theyre American.

PM: Apparently its like Sims maybe more like Urbz? You only control one person in some like virtual reality thing.

CH: YAWN

PM: *smacks Crash in his stupid face*

PM: You also get to fight things! ! !

CH: fight things?

PM: And it also said something about 'becoming a hero'. 〜（ゝ。∂）

CH: yooo SIGN ME UP! ! !

CH: if there was a sims superhero expansion id buy that shit in a heartbeat

AB: I'm not really a fan of violent games, though. :(

CH: bitch you play cod with your dad all the time

AB: That's different. He asked me to do that.

AB: And, I'm not really good at them. :(

PM: Anna sweetie you dont have to hurt anything if you dont want to.

CH: lame

PM: Its all based on choices! ! !

PM: Like your choices have consequences and all that stuff! ! !

PM: Its super cool! ! !

AB: What do you think about it, Ovun?

OU: Huh.

CH: hed probably dig a game where he could go crazy

OU: It seems okay.

OU: I'll play if you guys want to.

OU: How much is it.

PM: Well OU-kun you dont have to worry about that! (^o~)

PM: I'm buying everyones! ! ! You guys should send me your addresses privately so I can get started.

AB: What, no, you don't have to do that?!

CH: sweet

CH: ARIGATO MIKOSAMAAA! ~u~!1 lol

AB: fuck off ab i'll take what I can get

PM: I know Im the nicest! ! !

OU: I appreciate it Miko.

PM: *GASP* Youre very welcome OU-kun!

PM: I thought youd be all whiny about it like Anna-chan!

AB: Sorry, I just don't want you to spend so much money on us?

CH: im cool with that

CH: ous cool with it

CH: so say thank you and STFU!

AB: I…?

AB: …Thanks, Miko.

AB: That's really nice of you! :)

-.-.-

Urk, that whole conversation had been very awkward for you...

But enough about that, you've got a friend you've left hanging long enough.

Anna: Back to your current conversation with Miko.

PM: Oh my gosh now I remember! ! !

PM: Me and Crash-kun were talking about that last night! ! !

PM: Duhhhh! ! !

PM: I figured it out the way were gonna play together! ! !

PM: Well I guess Crash helped a little.

PM: (Hes super excited for this! ! ! (´▽｀) )

PM: But yeah! ! !

PM: So Crash is going to be my server Im going to be OUs and OU will be yours.

PM: Oh and youll be Crashs.

PM: Crash said he didnt want anything to do with OU and he wanted to be my server so this was the best option.

PM: I dont really get this game but it sounds fun! ! !

PM: You still there? ? ? ( ・◇・)？

PM: Anyway Crash is messaging me now sooo were gonna go ahead and start! ! !

PM: See ya! ! !

- princessMajo [PM] ceased pestering annaBobanna [AB] at 16:01 -

Darn, seems you were reminiscing long enough that your friend left you.

Anna: Check your ChumRoll.

Both Miko and Crash are still signed in, but they're probably busy with the game.

You should look up some info on that sometime, or maybe ask Crash, he said that he was going to try to figure out what the deal was about a week ago.

OU still isn't on... He might still be at school, or on his way home, you aren't sure.

It's also possible that he has a life outside of an online presence, and he's dealing with that.

Anna: Stand up.

You put your tablet aside get up from your beanbag, stretching as you do so. You've been sitting here since you got home from school, about 15 minutes ago.

-.-.-

Your parents and younger sister are at said sister's ballet recital, it actually doesn't start til 5, but the dancers had to get there super early.

That leaves you at home, in charge of your younger brother, who is currently napping away. A nap sounds good right about now, actually...

Anna: Walk to the center of your room.

You're not sure why, but you feel compelled to.

Like, it's some thematic occurrence that you be shown in the center of your room.

Or something.

Anna: Talk about your room.

Well, it's pretty average size, you'd say.

Where you were sitting, in your beanbag chair, was in the right corner, next to your bookshelf that held romance paperbacks and fantasy novels.

Your desk wasn't too far away, and your computer and phone were lying on top of it. A chair was pushed in, the cushion on it a little crooked.

On the other wall, you bed was pressed up against the side, your bed made fairly neatly, and your backpack thrown by the end.

Your floor was carpet, the walls floral-wallpapered, yadda yadda.

-.-.-

Anyway, as you stand in the middle of your room, feeling foolish, you ponder a very important question.

What should you do next?

**guess who's back with a brand new rap and by rap i mean story. yeah. it's been two years.**

**Let's see how this goes. (suggestions, criticism, whatever you want is/are welcome!)**


	2. Chapter 2

Unity 2: Start.

What you end up doing next happens to be several things.

First, you go to your kitchen and grab a healthy snack (just kidding, you crushed up some Oreos and put them in a chocolate pudding cup).

Then you checked on your baby brother, Toby. Little dude was snoozin' like an angel.

You made sure the gate on his and your little sister's doorframe was secure, then did the same for the one at the top of the stairs.

Safety is a priority with Toby, he was always getting himself into trouble.

-.-.-

After walking aimlessly about the house so you could check on everything and feel 'in charge', you wandered back to your room.

There you came back to your earlier question:

What should you do now?

-.-.-

You thought of ideas and dismissed them just as quickly.

After a brief bit of thought, you concluded that the best thing to do right now would be to take a nap, as you seemed to be a bit lethargic.

Maybe you'd be more active and fresh-faced when you woke up.

Anna: Nap.

You'd like to, but you need to attend to something first…

-.-.-

It's been niggling at the back of your mind, since you got your Sburb disks.

Games… Games take time to download, right?

You know apps do, and you know your father has to download updates for his games. Sooo?

….Yeah, it's been a while since you downloaded a computer game.

Anna: Grab disks.

You do so, and since they're next to your computer desk (you probably should have put them _on_ the desk, now that you think about it), you go ahead and press the power button on your computer.

-.-.-

As you wait for it to boot up, you face another unimportant, silly dilemma.

There's two disks. Which do you put in first?

-.-.-

As far as you can tell, there's not many differences between the two disk.

So, naturally, you grab one at random and decide to use that one.

Anna: Insert disk.

Obviously.

Your computer whirs for a second, and then a window pops up.

-.-.-

**[ SBURB version 0.0.1 ]**

**[ (c) SKAIANET SYSTEMS INCORPORATED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ]**

**[ SBURB client is running. ]**

**[ Waiting for server to establish connection… ]**

-.-.-

What… What the…

Anna: Put head in hands.

You can literally _feel_ your will to play this game leaving your body.

You slump back in your chair and stare at the screen.

-.-.-

When a Pesterchum window pops up, you jump, and feel even more stupid, if that's even possible at this moment.

Anna: Answer chum.

- overUnder [OU] began pestering annaBobanna [AB] at 16:33 -

OU: You wouldn't happen to be psychic would you.

AB: Um?

OU: It's just that I was about to message you about connecting to me to become a client.

OU: But then a box popped up and said 'A chum in your Pesterchum Chumroll is trying to looking for a Server player! Connect?'

OU: Or something.

AB: Huh, well, that's neat! :)

OU: Yeah.

OU: Anyway I wanted to message you before connecting.

OU: See if you were ready.

AB: Uh, yeah, I guess?

AB: I was actually just about to take a nap, so?

OU: That's fine I wanted some time to mess around in the game anyway.

AB: Okay, do I need to do anything?

OU: Just hit enter and it should go from there.

-.-.-

Enter…?

You minimize your pesterlog and check the Sburb Client window.

The text has been added to!

-.-.-

**[ SBURB version 0.0.1 ]**

**[ (c) SKAIANET SYSTEMS INCORPORATED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ]**

**[ SBURB client is running. ]**

**[ A SBURB host user is attempting to connect with you. ]**

**[ Client has established connection with host. ]**

**[ Press [ENTER] when ready. ]**

Anna: Press ENTER key.

Seems simple enough- OH GOD YOU WERE NOT READY FOR SO MUCH VISUAL STIMULI

-.-.-

You look away from the pulsing lights on the screen hurriedly just in time for a logo, proudly stating SBURB, to fade in.

Anna: Message OU.

OU: Huh.

AB: Okaaay, I'm just going to go to bed?

AB: See you in a bit, Ovun. :)

OU: Wait a second.

AB: Hm?

OU: …

OU: Nevermind have a nice nap.

AB: Thanks!

AB: I'll try to wake up in a few hours, and then we can play some more!

OU: Yeah.

OU: You do that.

- annaBobanna [AB] ceased pestering overUnder [OU] at 16:46 -

-.-.-

Nice guy, that OU.

Anyway, sleepy time.

Anna: Change clothes.

Nah, you don't really give that much of a shit.

The buttons on your shirt and jeans may poke into you, but that is your cross to bear.

You're like the Messiah of laziness, the savior of people sleeping in wrinkled and sweaty clothes.

….

You make a mental note to take a shower when you get back up.

Because that's just _sad_.

Anna: Just go the fuck to sleep.

Way… ahead of you…

-.-.-

-.-.-

Anna: Wake up.

After a while, you do.

You immediately feel as if something is off, and it's not a good feeling.

This is quickly affirmed by the sight of a glowing ball flying in front of your face, flashing and flapping? ? loudly.

Anna: Flip the fuck out.

You make a strangled squeal of terror before throwing yourself out of bed and stumbling as fast as you could away.

You trip over and fall on… something? ? ?

Anna: Assess situation.

? ? ? ? ? ?

Through your groggy state, you realize you are draped awkwardly on some kind of white machine, and you quickly flip your body over to face the glowing specter.

-.-.-

It's. Just kinda. Floatin' there.

Looking closer, you make out a bulky, cylindrical thing within the center, like, like a tube with a curve on the end?

Confused, you try to push yourself up off the machine, but apparently you put your hand on a wheel? ? ?, and you slip and fall back down.

Anna: Lay there.

Yeah. Yeah, you can do that.

-.-.-

You watch as the Glowball glides over to your computer and vibrates rapidly above it.

Hmmm?

You notice that your computer's screensaver isn't playing, and instead a Pesterchum window has popped up.

Anna: Check Pesterchum.

Seems like you have quite a log to catch up on.

- overUnder [OU] began pestering annaBobanna [AB] at 17:11 -

OU: Wow. You really are asleep.

OU: Don't know why I'm messaging you when you're clearly asleep.

OU: But still. You didn't even flinch when I dropped that thing.

OU: What is it a 'Cruxtruder'?

OU: Yeah.

OU: Weird thing.

OU: Anyway I'm going to get back to this.

- overUnder [OU] ceased pestering annaBobanna [AB] at 17:13 -

- overUnder [OU] began pestering annaBobanna [AB] at 17:36 -

OU: How long are you going to sleep?

OU: I'm tempted to drop something on you just to wake you up.

OU: But I'm not sure even that would do anything.

OU: Come on AB.

OU: …

OU: …

OU: ….

OU: Fuck it.

- overUnder [OU] ceased pestering annaBobanna [AB] at 17:41 -

- overUnder [OU] began pestering annaBobanna [AB] at 19:12 -

OU: Wow.

OU: You're still asleep.

OU: I'm 'amazed'.

OU: I watched an entire documentary you know.

OU: I'll check back on you later.

OU: PM's gonna be pissed.

- overUnder [OU] ceased pestering annaBobanna [AB] at 19:12 -

- overUnder [OU] began pestering annaBobanna [AB] at 21:04 -

OU: Well I'm glad I glanced over when I did.

OU: You're 'finally' awake.

OU: And now you're freaking out.

OU: Understandable.

AB: whatis thhat? ? ?

OU: That's not very specific.

AB: OU? ? ? What's going on? ? ?

OU: You'll have to be a bit clearer.

AB: DUDE

AB: WHAT IS THIS STUFF IN MY ROOM

OU: Well that machine you tripped over is the Cruxtruder as previously said.

OU: And the little flashing circle is the Kernelsprite.

AB: ? ? ? What are they doing here? ? ?

OU: It's part of the game.

AB: Game? ? ? What game-

-.-.-

_Sburb_.

No, no, it can't be, it's just a video game.

But, you can't think of any alternatives to what he's saying, so…

…..

-.-.-

OU: Yeah I was surprised at how 'in-depth' this game was.

OU: It's kind of unnatural to be honest.

OU: But hey I guess it's just like when kids mess with Ouija boards and Bloody Mary.

OU: Just asking for trouble.

AB: This is a video game, though?

AB: How did this stuff happen in real life?

OU: It seems like we got more than we bargained for.

OU: Anyway I did most of the process for you while you were asleep.

OU: I think you can figure it out when you play with CH so I won't give you all the details.

OU: Plus it's boring to just read the same thing over and over again.

OU: I deployed all the machines you need.

OU: And I accidentally prototyped your Kernelsprite with an umbrella I think.

OU: Sorry about that.

OU: Really I should have been watching more carefully.

OU: But it fell in when I was moving stuff around.

AB: That's fine, I think, but where did it come from?

AB: And what is it?

OU: It came from the Cruxtruder.

OU: I grabbed a rock from outside your house and dropped it on the cover of the opening on top.

OU: I managed to catch the rock before it hit you so you were fine.

AB: Gee, thanks. :/

AB: I hope you didn't mess up my parent's garden too much.

OU: I did as little damage as I could.

OU: Anyway the KS is supposed to help you somehow.

OU: I don't know exactly why or how CH just said he found some shoddy walkthroughs and was referencing those.

AB: Huh. Okay then.

AB: I'm still confused as to what the fuck is going on, but at least I've got a vague idea about a small part that apparently is very important. Thanks so much.

AB: …Sorry.

AB: I'm just confused and sleepy and I'm taking it out on you. :(

AB: You're doing a good job explaining, I'm just… not getting this at all.

-.-.-

Nothing like being a total douche to your friends when they're trying to help you.

God, you're such an asshole.

-.-.-

OU: …You know…

OU: Nevermind you'll figure it out later.

AB: ?

OU: What you need to do right now is get this card that's lying in your indoor garden.

AB: Wait, you didn't mess with the sunroom, did you?

OU: I put the Totem Lathe there.

AB: :( Ovunnnn! That place is very delicate, we have a lot of sensitive plants there!

OU: 'So sorry'.

AB: 8(

OU: Okay go do that and I'll guide you by moving furniture around.

AB: Can you really do that?

OU: Look to your right.

Anna: Look right.

Okaaay?

You turn your head to the right and gasp in surprise as you see your beanbag chair rise up and sway from side to side.

It drops suddenly, and you turn back to your screen, feeling a cold squirm of fear crawling in your gut.

This game is just… too much.

-.-.-

OU: That enough for you?

AB: 8(((

OU: Just go I'll be watching you.

AB: Wait, you can see me?

OU: Duh.

-.-.-

Hnnngh... This game is starting to really freak you out.

**don't expect two chapters in one week like this often. sorry, but i'm trying to keep a lax schedule on this so i don't get 'overwhelmed' and start hating this story. i'll try for one a week, but we'll see.**

**if you wondering what this story is about, i kinda just wanted to write something exploring the game setting in sburb. like, homestuck glossed over a bunch of mechanics (like quests, and echeladders, and fraymotifs), and i just wanted to mess around and write something about it. so yeah. **


End file.
